JNA Jan/ Feb 2021

PERSPECTIVE 30 | JNA Jan/Feb 2021 distancing restrictions due to a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong. On top of this, L’ÉCOLE is adding new topics to its portfolio. It also introduced a new course, Around the World in Jewellery, which focuses on the evolution of jewellery through various civilisations. It is also developing a two-hour programme, Beyond Exhibition, which involves an hour of an expert-guided tour followed by a one-hour class. Education that is practical, engaging and hands-on remains relevant even in the era of digitalisation as a way to acknowledge the expertise of those involved in the jewellery making process and to celebrate this legacy, according to Gonnet-Pon. “In a way, L’ÉCOLE contributes to that legacy by acknowledging the intricacy and the level of expertise required to make jewellery. When you wear a jewellery piece, you don’t always realise the amount of work behind it,” she noted. “This is a tribute to all these artisans. In every stage of jewellery making, there is the expertise acquired by the gemmologist, jeweller, stone setter, art historian or designer. In two or four hours during our courses, you get to understand this better and build your appreciation for jewellery.” The institute is aiming to have a family campaign for every exhibition. “They couldn’t come to us, so we brought the activities to them,” she noted. “When we were able to reopen, we invited the winners to come to our school to redeem their prizes and have the opportunity to meet with them.” It also held live online conversations on different topics including, among others, “Flora in Jewelry Arts”; “New York Architecture and Art Deco Jewelry”; and “Talismans, Gems and Marvels.” These activities further enrich the school’s curriculum. L’ÉCOLE’s unconventional learning methodologies set it apart from traditional educational and gemmological institutions. Gonnet-Pon calls it a “cross-disciplinary approach” that melds the art histories of jewellery, craftsmanship and gemmology. “Our content is based on in-depth research by our experts but in a very non-academic way. What’s important for us is the accuracy of the content,” she remarked. “Listeners would capture the content easily. We always offer to go further by providing a list of museums and websites for further research.” Craftsmanship courses, particularly those on design and jewellery workshops, are highly sought after by participants, she added. Onwards 2021 L’ÉCOLE has been preparing for a new exhibition, The Art of Gold: 3,000 Years of Chinese Treasures, which will showcase around 55 pieces from a private collection of gold ornaments and illustrate over 3,000 years of goldsmithing in China through four major techniques, namely hammering and chasing, casting, granulation, wire and filigree. The exhibit would take visitors on a journey across central China, the Steppes, Mongolia and the Himalaya through exceptional gold jewellery pieces. As of press time, the event, which was supposed to open in early December, has been postponed until further notice after the government reinstated social L'ÉCOLE Asia Pacific Recognize the Gemstones course '鑑別寶石'課程